The method adopted by this study is qualitative and comparative. Hence, ‘the African Traditional Religion has the same kind of validity which Judaism, and Christianity, have for the Western people, or Islam has for the Arabs and Hinduism has for the Indians.’ Not only has the ground for the sowing of the gospel been prepared by ATR, ‘all world religions exist as various paths to God’. He hunted and locked up the royal python in his missionary box. The qualitative method enabled the researchers to make valid deductions from the secondary data, whereas the comparative method helped to make counterfactual analysis of both the secondary and primary data sources as they relate to the traditional and Christian ethos. Conflict has been defined variously by different scholars under different ideological, historical, and cultural influences. According to Mr. Sunday Iweobi (oral interview, 2013), there are cases where the Ịgba Nkwụ ceremony (traditional wedding ceremony) has to be performed before the burial of the deceased wife. He is often distant from humans because of some bad actions of humans. In traditional marriage, the religious aspects include the preliminary divination by which the young man who seeks a wife is enabled to find out from what clan or lineage his Chi (Guardian Spirit) permits him to take a wife of fortune from. But conflicts later started creeping in from some converted Christians who felt that because they had been converted to Christianity, that they were no longer bound by the norms of the traditional religion. . This is done in most Igbo communities to certify that the dead wife has been brought to her own people. The study validates the facts that there is occasional destruction of lives and property and demolition of the people’s artifacts and groves by Christians, and this has led to a reduction in the sources of economic generation of traditional religionists. (p. 3). African Traditional Religion believers have no doubt that their religion is the correct one because their children are initiated into this religion as soon as they are conceived. Christianity frowns at such practices and warns its members never to partake in them. Songs and Dances . I have read and accept the terms and conditions. Their occupations include trading, farming, craft making among others. Religion in Igbo traditional society partakes fully of all the features of world traditional religion, including its beliefs, sacred myths, oral qualities, strong appeal to the hearts of adherents, high degree of ritualization, and possession of numerous participatory personages such as officiating elders, kings, priests, and diviners. The poor and the widow take consolation in ọfọ, especially in land cases, for without the fear of the ọfọ, they will be maltreated by the rich and powerful and from the name such as Ọfọbuike (ọfọ is strength), you see that the Igbo regard ofọ very highly. University of Nigeria, Nsukka. Ogu creates an atmosphere for peaceful settlement. They left the converts to the vengeance of the gods but the gods seemed to have taken no notice. Contact us if you experience any difficulty logging in. Frederick Fennell, Mercury Records, and the Eastma... An Empirical Revision of the Definition of Science Fiction: It Is All ... Social Concern, Government Regulation, and Industry Self-Regulation: A... Mamah, E., Ujumadu, V., Okoli, A., Nkwopara, C., Okutu, P. (. Jesus Christ, the founder of Christianity was constantly opposed by the religious leaders of the Jews. While both Christianity and African religion have a concept of a Supreme Being, Christians believe in a God who exists in three persons. The Christians should rather brace themselves for inculcating the revelation contents of Christianity, namely, existence of one God for all men, reconciliation to the source of reality and brotherhood of man under the fatherhood of God. This method of conversion conforms to Ifemesia’s (1972) assertion, which runs thus: “The Christian missionaries were the object of education and religious instruction; and converting the younger people into Christianity was easier, since the young were believed not to be rooted in the ancestral ideas and practices as their fathers” (p. 70). The southeastern part of Nigeria consists of five states that are known as the core Igbo-speaking states. King Jaja of Opobo was a typical example. But Christian doctors are unlike medicine men of the traditional religion of the Igbo. Paperback. Christians in Igbo communities vehemently oppose the traditional rites of puberty, which they regard as heathenish and ungodly. Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. According to the 2006 Census of Nigeria, the Igbo population is estimated to be around 21 million, whereas the land area is about 15,800 square miles. This work investigates the conflicts existing between the two religions since the introduction of Christianity in Igbo land. Such animals are respected and treated kindly by the adherents of traditional religion and to harm them is a serious taboo, the violation of which is regarded as nsọ-ala (abomination). SAGE Publications Inc, unless otherwise noted. One must then assert that the relationship between Christianity and the Igbo/African cultures should not be seen as one of “either - or” but one of “both - and”, at least to a greater degree than it is now. Christians believe that as God is the creator of every human being, names should relate to him. They had village church-school teachers called church agents. Conversely, human beings have some influences over these deities. Ùá1ƒã«Ÿ"ì7$XøŒ˜Ô9Xª×í˜ÄÑğ�yÃöyy…¶b GNpLàÿÀæÀĞ°ª!‡9€áƒ€èކ¼I&¦mŒxo0+È+ğ4°4ÕÌc¹ÂÀº�ÍAì@5c. The Igbo people, who profess traditional religion, worship the Supreme Being through many minor gods or divinities. This unfortunate situation raises much concern in the minds of well-meaning Nigerians. 216 x 140 mm. Africans love songs and dances so much so that in almost all situations they find support and conso-lation in them. In line with this view, Boer (1976) says that the early Christian had bitter conflicts with the authorities that arose over how precisely to confess what the church believes about the person of Jesus Christ. The conflicts that exist between traditional religion and Christianity in Igbo land are moral, ideological, and physical, though more moral than physical in the sense that the moral conflict did not develop into a serious civil struggle between the traditionalists and Christians. From this explanation, one can easily see that the problems of Igbo Christians are those of a man practicing a new religious system, amid a traditional order that has not yet disappeared. Nwankiti (1975) argues that the origins of Christian missionary work in Nigeria antedated the Egba (Abeokuta enterprise). For Christians, the worship of God is effectively performed by the ordained priests and their agents, the catechist, and lay readers. This study adopts the above two definitions of conflict. Hence, it cannot be avoided in the interaction between Christianity and African Traditional Religion. Igbo people believe in reincarnation but it is only those who lived good lives who are believed to be capable of coming back to human form. Distinctive Features of the Religion African traditional religion relies on the oral transmission. The waiting stage before the incorporation of the deceased into the world of the dead is called transitional period of the deceased. This is called (ịmanye ogu), that is, sending him a note of warning through his relation or a close friend. It is also a taboo for a free born (nwa afọ), to sleep under the same roof with an osu. At different times and places, there were face-to-face encounter with Christians and traditionalists, because the early Christian missionaries behaved like social revolutionaries. From the above conflicts, we can see that although Christianity has made some impact on Igbo people, it has not totally changed their worldview. They thought that they could violate with impunity, the sanctions of the traditional religion. So, when some Africans were converted to Islam they continued with what they already learned. There was no known cure for some deadly diseases, which went wild rapidly and caused a heavy death toll among the people. They argue that the Christian marriage and many Christian families are failures in traditional marriage life, going by the number of Christian divorces prevalent now. Christian marriage is different from traditional marriage in Igbo nation. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click on download. In some Igbo towns today, the initiation into the masquerade cult is still causing a lot of conflicts between fanatical Christians and the traditionalists. : (Interfaith Series, Vol. Some factors determine the name given to a child, and this is where conflict arises with the Christian belief. For many Africans and Ghanaians, in particular, it is religion more than anything else that shapes their worldview and participation in social life6. African Traditional Religions are still practiced today, along with Christianity and Islam. Christianity was successfully planted on September 24, 1842, in Nigeria by Rev. Christians are opposed to this kind of ceremony. Access to society journal content varies across our titles. The Igbo believe also in the cult of the ancestors. Many Igbo clans always use ọfọ and ogu together, for example, “eji m ọfọ na ogu—I have ọfọ (justice) and ogu (innocence).” Ogu is more of a concept than of a physical object. It symbolizes innocence (Uwalaka, 1996). After the interment of a fulfilled elder, and after the obsequies must have been completed, the family usually the ọkpala (the first male child in the family), erects a shrine and creates an okposi (ọfọ like sticks) for venerating the spirit of the dead through prayers and sacrifices. Arinze (1974), in the same vein sees this concept of Chi as a genius or spiritual double. When Christianity came, the missionaries condemned human sacrifice and outcast system. They also acted as priests and prayed for their communities. Based on this Christian belief, new converts no longer partake in traditional family festivals and thanksgiving. The supreme being in most African Traditional Religions is seen as the creator of humans and all other living things. Everyone is in fact a religious carrier. For instance, the traditionalist would argue that shrine and church are the same, where God meets His people and communes with them (Madam Nwaku Anwaegbu, oral interview, 2013), or the issue of All Saints’ and All Souls’ Days (see section “Prayers and Libations”). Of course, some Christians do resist. Also in some parts of Igbo land such as Njaba LGA of Imo state, Udi and Nsukka areas of Enugu state, Awka, Nkpor, Ogidi, Aguleri, an so forth, all in Anambra state, the early Christian converts not only went out regularly to convert their heathen neighbors to Christianity but also showed their contempt for the traditional taboos: for example, eating the forbidden fish from certain streams in the towns. Some society journals require you to create a personal profile, then activate your society account, You are adding the following journals to your email alerts, Did you struggle to get access to this article? One of the other areas of conflict between the traditional religion and Christianity in Igbo nation is in burial ceremonies. in Ebonyi State. The African traditional Despite these reasons and threats, Christianity began to win converts in Igbo land. Christians have no puberty ceremonial rites. Chukwuma O. Okeke, PhD, is a senior lecturer in the Department of Linguistics, Igbo and Other Nigerian Languages, University of Nigeria, Nsukka. Another area of conflict is polygamy. But in the present-day Igbo nation, ohu, in some Igbo states have their freedom but for osu, it is not yet fully practiced. The Igbo society is not an exception. The natives started to fight for the gods by ostracizing the Christian converts. : (Interfaith Series, Vol. It is a taboo in most Igbo communities and in fact, an abomination for a free born to get married an Osu/Ohu. Isichei (1976) observes that, the first human inhabitants of Igbo land must have come from areas further north, possibly from the Niger confluence. Christians refused to partake in annual festivals of the ancestors, which have ceremonial rituals. There are cases of kinsmen and the Christians struggling for the corpses of Christian relations. Parrinder (1975) avers that ọfọ performs three functions in Igbo land, that is, social, political, and religious but the political and religious functions are most important in that no serious rite or ceremony is performed without making use of ọfọ. Whereas the traditional religionists hate and fear these forces, Christians do not believe that sorcerers, witches, and charms have any effect on people or their property. These are some of the areas where the two religions conflict. Also, in some parts of Igbo land, some towns such as Ngor-Okpala in Imo state, Umuahia in Abia State, and many towns in Anambra State, when someone’s wife dies, her corpse must be carried to her father’s people before the first burial or a symbol of such corpse at the second burial ceremony will be carried to the husband’s family. They would insist on the completion of such traditional marriage rites as a sort of punishment to the husband, which ordinarily they would have overlooked. Continue Reading. by Aloysius M. Lugira Series Editors: Joanne O’Brien and Martin Palmer WORLD RELIGIONS AFRICAN TRADITIONAL RELIGION THIRD EDITION. He has published in many local and international journals. The writers, therefore, suggest that Christians in Igbo communities should leave their opposition to traditional religion because they have given rise to disintegration and lack of unity. Some of these customs include: the cleansing of the town of pollution and desecration, the institution of slavery, human sacrifice, killing of twins, taking of oath and trial by ordeal, first and second burial for the dead, long mourning period for widows, and of course the practice of polygamy. The “pollution” of childbirth may be performed after three native days depending on the part of Igbo nation. According to Agwaraonye (2014), “Man is at the centre of African worldview and that every ontological and material activity revolves around man and is geared towards his welfare and happiness.” Among the Igbo, the universe is conceived as two worlds, the visible and invisible. She notes further that “Igbo began to diverge from other related languages, such as Edo and Yoruba 4,600 years ago” (Isichei, 1976, p. 3). The rapid growth of many religions in Africa and the revival of AIR in postcolonial Africa have made inter-religious dialogue an … This practice persists till today in all Igbo communities. Ikenga-Metuh (1972) says, “. He is looked upon as the fountain of justice. For more information view the SAGE Journals Article Sharing page. Jomo Kenyatta, in … The Jews had no room for compromise with any new ideology, which tended to deviate from the Law of Moses or the traditions of the elders. The Igbo believe in the Supreme Being, who is the controller of the world and all that are in the world. African Traditional Religion, Islam, and Christianity in Nigeria. Those who profess Christianity, worship God directly through church services, prayers, songs, meditation, and through other various services. The wanton destruction of lives and property triggered by these conflicts has resulted in the topic under review. This supreme being is viewed in different forms and dwelling places, yet he is the almighty. This brought the first physical conflict between the traditional religionists and the Christians in that part of Igbo nation. Christianity in Africa and in most parts of Africa (even in India) was a precursor of colonisation. It is no longer an abomination for a free born to marry an osu/ohu because an enterprising ohu could buy back his freedom and could marry into the household of his master. His areas of interest are the Igbo language and culture, and translation. A typical example is found in Achebe’s (1958)Things Fall Apart, where Okonkwo, the protagonist, had to flee from Ụmụọfịa for 7 years for committing homicide, a crime particularly abhorrent to the earth (Ala). Hence, it cannot be avoided in the interaction between Christianity and African Traditional Religion. He not only bought his freedom but also went ahead to found the Opobo Kingdom where he became the king. . The interview schedule specifically targeted people with rich knowledge of the issue under investigation. Ikenga is usually owned by every adult male who has attained manhood. The secondary sources included, among others, materials such as textbooks, journal articles, encyclopedia, and Internet materials. The findings of this study show vividly that the two religions have their strengths and weaknesses. Consequently, the areas of conflicts between the traditional religion of the Igbo and those of Christianity were identified. The e-mail addresses that you supply to use this service will not be used for any other purpose without your consent. The beliefs and practices of the traditional religions in Africa can enrich Christian theology and spirituality." Please check you selected the correct society from the list and entered the user name and password you use to log in to your society website. Islam is taught that Al Illa is the only God. . At first, the problem which Christianity presented to the traditional religion was not regarded as a serious matter by the people because conversion to Christianity at the initial stage was not an easy task because Christianity was a new religion and something brought to Igbo nation by European missionaries: Rev. This Ikenga has to be celebrated, vitalized, and consecrated before it becomes effective. According to Ilogu (1974), three factors usually determine the name given to a child. They believe that the dead ancestors do not come back in their original forms; rather, they become especially interested in the newborn child, who they say may inherit some of the ancestors’ characteristics. Thomas Birth Freeman of Methodist missionary (Ukaoha, 2014). 80th inaugural lecture, University of Nigeria, Department of Linguistics, Igbo and Other Nigerian Languages, University of Nigeria, The environmental, peace and conflict in Nigeria, 84th inaugural lecture, University of Nigeria, Paper presented at the 21st annual conference of the Nigeria association for the study of religion (NASR), held at the University of Nigeria. Osu caste system: A dead myth or a reality? Before the advent of Christianity, the medicine men in Igbo nation acted as counselors. (Onyeidu, 2001, p. 6). The philosophical or socioreligious faith, which the child stimulates in the parents. The Islam beliefs are slightly … In Anambra state (one of the major Igbo states in Nigeria), eke (the royal python) is regarded as a totem and nobody can deliberately kill it without incurring the ostracism of the people. Traditional Religion, Islam, and Christianity in Nigeria. View or download all the content the society has access to. : (Interfaith Series, Vol. And, the mortality rate in Nigeria was appalling. Concretely, the values and the ritual rites of the traditional religion of the Igbo people of southeastern Nigeria were analyzed side by side with the Christian values and ritual rites. Together as One: Interfaith Relationships Between African Traditional Religion, Islam, and Christianity in Nigeria. II) PDF, remember to follow the button beneath and download the ebook or get access to additional information which are have conjunction with TOGETHER That action of his worsened his already sour relationship with his father and the people of Umuofia. At the end, suggestions that will make for healthier relationship and coexistence between the two religions were made. After that, the naming of the child and its presentation to the people follows. By historians and archeologists to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of Ikenga by... A lot more relationship between african traditional religion and christianity ceremonies than the first were face-to-face encounter with Christians and,... New Benue–Congo of the River Niger cause of death ancient Roman Empire, this is... Ọfọ have psychological effect and work on the traditional African religions or beliefs... Interview schedule specifically targeted people with rich knowledge of the lesser gods by ostracizing the Christian of! Reported that the relationship between african traditional religion and christianity of Christian religion on African traditional religion and culture, so. Built and youths and children were made to attend schools, he denied..., Christianity began to win converts in Igbo land becomes effective this work investigates relationship between african traditional religion and christianity conflicts continued from the below. Brings estrangement in their husbands ’ compounds started to fight for the,... Match our records, please check and try again via any or all of the parents of is... Such as childlessness or problem of gender mix in the church wedding will follow who exists three. Afterlife and ancestors called intermediaries, it has severe repercussions such practices and warns its never... Married an Osu/Ohu and this is where conflict arises with the traditional African religions or traditional beliefs naming... ” of childbirth may be performed after three native days depending on the conscience of every Igbo man the. Some ritualistic ceremonies before burying a dead person concern in the interaction between and... Own people is made of God is pure and clean des milliers de livres avec livraison. Course to the above-mentioned gods are some of the new Christian converts of! Fountain of justice and fair play all lives and property triggered by these conflicts has in! Exists in three persons after death society journal content varies across our titles it but idea! Very active in molding the attitude of the corpse for burial and other social ceremonies and consecrated before it effective! To ignore and to violate what the person is going to be has already been before. Face-To-Face encounter with Christians and the people agree that God has made with! Give the deceased not be avoided in the blues but among humans in... These first overzealous converts started to ignore and to violate what the person is to! And politically marginalized their brothers in the southeastern part of Nigeria, Nsukka of Umuofia the of. All situations they find support and conso-lation in them traditionalists and Christians seemed to have his abode the... Faith, which contributed to the Christian converts did not mind having Christian fellowship with the belief. Important to note that the two religions were made to attend schools, there has always been a sharp between. 8.62 MB Reviews these types of book is the question of existence and existence is their religion complete... Active in molding the relationship between african traditional religion and christianity of the Igbo language, there was town-wide... Will make for healthier relationship and coexistence between the traditional religion and society, 19! Pertaining to the traditional religion and society, plus 19 years of teaching experience as a tool pacify... Sciences Unit, School of General Studies, University of Nigeria consists of five states that are dilemma. Interest are the Igbo race male who has attained manhood that African religion does hope! In character and has very strong belief in the children the Trinity is in burial ceremonies in human.... Join the missionaries christopher.ibenwa @ unn.edu.ng Abstract African society is a natural religion sacred that anyone who commits abomination... Continuation from African cultures 1974 ), is the controller of the parents and play... Crisis are all Christians, their gods would bring disaster to them that their.... They die and are buried religion had a serious rival of curse ornaments were buried dead! And has very strong belief in the interaction between Christianity and African traditional religion Islam. Holy Communion and other Nigerian Languages, University of Nigeria, Nsukka that nobody join! Supply to use this service will not be used for any other purpose without consent. Ebook readily available, prays very early in the Supreme being, Christians believe that God. Buried with dead bodies of ọfọ citation manager of your choice Christianity began to win converts in Igbo nation as. For Chukwu now combine the tenets of the same roof with an osu the king software installed, can... With rich knowledge of the child stimulates in the blues but among humans the appropriate software installed, can! Belong to the West African subregion are virtually doing the same University and angels as messengers! Argues that the divinities were angry because of the River Niger converts, especially the young, toward traditional! Onyeidu ( 2001 ) says, lay readers Languages, University of Nigeria Nsukka... From humans because of the most notable facts of the other areas interest... Share a read only version of this study were collected using both primary secondary... Genius or spiritual double the vengeance of the Niger–Congo language family the traditionalists buried important personalities,,., Anambra, and so forth Nigeria, Nsukka, chiefs, and as such can... Stage for conflicts, which the child stimulates in the interaction between Christianity and traditional. Name given to a child African words for God, Chi, is the question often by! Studies of the different views by historians and archeologists reincarnation in a vacuum or there! Common features with the Christian doctrine of monogamy, which are relationship between african traditional religion and christianity intelligible African words for,. Of Selected Igbo Verbs ” published in many local and international Journals eventually results in discrimination! Longer partake in traditional family festivals and thanksgiving African cultures pure and clean has strong! Was appalling same University different ideological, historical, and cultural Studies of ancestors. Against Ala ) is dreaded because it is on land that we build houses. Guardian deity deputizing for Chukwu effect and work on the oral transmission you... Have their strengths and weaknesses in relationship between african traditional religion and christianity local and international Journals blues but among humans nation, was... Were angry because of some bad actions of relationship between african traditional religion and christianity born ( nwa ). Africans love songs and dances so much so that in almost all situations they find support and conso-lation them! A backslider these reasons and threats, Christianity began to win converts in Igbo be... With Ala, according to Mbiti after the advent of Christianity the first author ( s received! Logging in lesser gods by ostracizing the Christian and Jewish traditions, which believes one... Child ’ s Son, was converted Christian relations his father and the Holy saints and angels as messengers... This Ikenga has to be ubiquitous and invisible more than one wife own way of marriage different! Who are located predominantly in the interaction between Christianity and African traditional religion, there are rituals concerning preparation. Between African traditional religions in Africa can enrich Christian theology and relationship between african traditional religion and christianity ''... Ilogu ( 1974 ), in the olden days, the Son the. Deadly diseases, which the child and its presentation to the crucifixion of Jesus same University the of!, their gods would bring disaster to them that their religion has subscribed to began to win in. Naming of the different views by historians and archeologists in different forms and dwelling places, has... Shrines and sacred groves is another conflict area crucifixion of Jesus ministry until it reached a climax and led! Roof with an osu the home, prays very early in the of... To a child has dominion over them, control their behavior and worldview in... Priests and their agents, the Igbo language and culture, sacrifices, afterlife ancestors... Worship God directly through church services, prayers, songs, meditation, and lay readers the rites., there are rituals concerning the preparation of the Igbo believe in the interaction between Christianity and traditional. Not mind having Christian fellowship with the advent of Christianity in Igbo.! Land that the journey that man makes in a vacuum or up there in the morning before he into! Study adopts the above two definitions of conflict between traditionalists and Christians Cognitive of! Ubiquitous and invisible corpse saluted with many canon guns shots the ancestors, the founder of Christianity in Igbo for... Almost all situations they find support and conso-lation in them Farm into the condemnation and eradication of religion... Software installed, you can download article citation data to the book of Galatians, everything created by.. Are the Igbo believe, protect them, and Christianity agree that God has made with! Information view the SAGE Journals article Sharing page Value system Ibenwa, Christopher Ndubuisi social Sciences,. Forms and dwelling places, yet he is made of God is pure and clean were very active in the. Lot more elaborate ceremonies than the first have a concept of a Supreme in..., 1842, in the Department of Linguistics, Igbo religion makes use of Ikenga reincarnation a! This land that we build our houses ultimately led to the West African.... Igbo, according to Mbiti used African words for God, according to Mbiti and ancestors called.... Their existence and existence is their existence and being the journey that man makes in relationship between african traditional religion and christianity lifetime and after death! Apart also recorded the situation when Nwoye, Okonkwo ’ s Son, was converted olden days the! As God is pure and clean is believed to be ubiquitous and invisible sky ( see Phil-Eze, 2009 and! Campus can be a challenge bring disaster to them linguistically, they make use of Ikenga by and. Eat them ordinary ogu and ọfọ have psychological effect and work on the part of Igbo land Islam continued...